Freiburg’s objection to FC Bayern’s change mistake: Ex-referee Manuel Graefe gives hope
Manuel Graefe Referee
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Ex-referee Manuel Graefe has commented on SC Freiburg’s objection to the Munich mistake – and gives SC hope.
Former referee Manuel Gräfe gave SC Freiburg hopes of a win at the green table. The Breisgauers had appealed against the game rating (4:1) after FC Bayern made a mistake.
Gräfe referred to rule 3, paragraph 3 (exchange process) of the DFB football rules 2021/2022 and told the image: “It states that a change is made when the player enters the field, but there are several conditions for this. One is the referee’s approval, another that the player has to leave the field. So Sabitzer made the change Coman in the exchange slot with Süle de facto not yet completed.”
Gräfe sees “Bayern’s fourth exchange slot”
Graefe continues: “The substitution was only formally made in the next break in the game and that would then possibly be a fourth substitution slot for Bayern, which would violate the implementation regulations.”
For the former FIFA referee, the verdict against VfL Wolfsburg in the DFB Cup a few months ago should also be included in the rating. The wolves had made one substitution too many and were subsequently eliminated from the competition.
“Since the landmark judgment against Wolfsburg – one player change too many – the clubs have been responsible for this,” said Graefe: “That would mean a 2-0 win and three points for Freiburg!”
FC Bayern: Nagelsmann angry at SC Freiburg
The 48-year-old also brought another option into play. “The sports court still adds the change to the Süle change slot – although it wasn’t executed correctly. Bayern would then very likely retain the 4-1 win.”
The German record champions were on the pitch for around 15 seconds with twelve players instead of the eleven allowed in the 4-1 win against SC Freiburg at the weekend. On Monday, the people of Freiburg announced that they had decided on a legal examination.
The decision was met with dissatisfaction among the people of Munich. “From a personal point of view, I can’t understand why Freiburg did that,” said coach Julian Nagelsmann at a press conference on Tuesday, adding: “I don’t think they would have scored in the 18 seconds. I personally wouldn’t have done it, because you exploit a mistake made by a third party to get points I don’t know if you can pat yourself on the back at the annual general meeting with the sponsors in November if you should play internationally because of these three points, which in fact you don’t sport won. I wouldn’t be so happy about that.”